Keep Praying

06Feb

This morning’s Morning and Evening centers around our need for God’s constant provision. Self-reliance, laziness, entitlement, and ungratefulness are easy traps to fall into. At times, we often question God’s control of our situation. Only when we are faced with His glory and greatness, can we say,

Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. — Job 40:4

God has done (and continues to do) so much for us. Everything we have comes from Him. Why would we ever turn to another source?

James 1:17 says,

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Likewise, Matthew 7:11 declares,

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

God does not only give good gifts to His children, He enjoys giving them. I like how Spurgeon says we are “constant beggars” who ask God for everything and receive nothing apart from His hand. Let’s not forget that, even for a moment, as we continually offer praise and petition to our Provider.

Here is Alistair Begg’s paraphrase of the Spurgeon classic.

* * * * *

…praying at all times… — Ephesians 6:18

What countless prayers we have offered from the first moment we learned to pray. Our
first prayer was a prayer for ourselves; we asked that God would have mercy upon us and
blot out our sin. He heard us. But when He had blotted out our sins like a cloud, then
we had more prayers for ourselves. We have had to pray for sanctifying grace, for
constraining and restraining grace; we have been led to crave for a fresh assurance of
faith, for the comfortable application of the promise, for deliverance in the hour of
temptation, for help in the line of duty, and for comfort in the day of trial. We have
been compelled to go to God for our souls, as constant beggars asking for everything.

Remember, child of God, you have never been able to get anything for your soul anywhere
else. All the bread your soul has eaten has come down from heaven, and all the water it
has drunk has flowed from the living rock—Christ Jesus the Lord. Your soul has never
grown rich in itself; it has always been dependent upon the daily provision of God; and
consequently your prayers have ascended to heaven for a vast range of spiritual
mercies. Your wants were innumerable, and therefore the supplies have been infinitely
great, and your prayers have been as varied as the mercies have been countless.

So then have you not reason to say, “I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and
my pleas for mercy?” For as your prayers have been many, so also have God’s answers
been. He has heard you in the day of trouble, has strengthened you and helped you, even
when you dishonored Him by trembling and doubting at His throne. Remember this, and let
it fill your heart with gratitude to God, who has graciously heard your poor, weak
prayers. “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”1